My Once-Weekly Psychotherapy

My healers.... I may need more than once a week, seriously!

1-Hour Gallery Hop

Having a Saturday off is extremely hard and precious in my current work situation. Thanking my boss, I was able to join my volunteer team to clean up the storages, library and art studio of a public school in Queens during the day as part of the annual all-New York City-volunteer event New York Cares Day. http://www.newyorkcaresday.org/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=237516
The day was pretty labor-intensive but it was all worth it to transfrom the place for children who learn and grow in our community!

After our volunteer service was done, I figure that there would be about one hour left to check out some exhibitions at art galleries in Chelsea. Like I said, If I missed them today, I could not catch the same train in my life. So I hit the road with my super dusty T shirt and sneakers. Fortunately, I came across fresh mural paintings assumingly done by other NY Cares Day volunteer teams for another public school at the corner of 26th street and 9th Avenue. They are so vibrant...The students would love them for sure!


I made it to the last day of Jun Nguyen-Hatsushiba show at Lehmann Maupin (no picture posted) and then headed to the first day of the solo exhibition of my favorite artist Folkert de Young (b. 1972, the Netherlands) at James Cohan. To be honest, I like his old work much better but these new works are doubtlessly well done and of course, these figurative sculptures are all made with styrofoam and polyurethane foam. This work in the photo is "The Tower 'Violin Player (Scene 3)'" 2007, 196.9 x 59.1 x 59.1 inches. Tall!
He chooses circus performers as the entire subject for this show being inspired by Picasso's Rose Period characters such as Family of Saltimbanques (1905). Ranging from war-themed violent life size sculpture to this more epic work, the artist states, "I want the public to become aware of the mechanism of sublime emotion, and how much we are being manipulated by mass media with this mechanism in order to influence our critical opinion."


My next stop was Sonnabend Gallery to see the show of large color photographs by Candida Hofer (b. 1944, Germany). Her large-size photographs are usually around 79 x 95 inches or so and it seemed like the works on view were made from 2004 to 2006. Some are taken in theaters and palaces in Europe. In her architectual photographs, I usualy like her library series but I was interested in this photograph looks least Hofer-like.. Why is the chandelier hung so low? Anyhow, you can view better examples of her known style such as gravity-free, white light filled spaces at this site:
http://renabranstengallery.com/hofer.html


There was a suspicious line across the street and I automatically joined the queue. Someone told me that today was the last chance to see the installation by Keith Tyson (b. 1969, UK).


I kind of liked the playfulness of his autobiographical side in his work however it's a bit too rigid for me.. It was fun to see this large scale installation work though.

So I made it to 5 exhibitions including outdoor murals in about an hour. Wow, it's not too bad!

Mission Nicaragua 2004

I went to Nicaragua with 7 other church members back in 2004. It was the first summer mission trip for our mininstry as well as myself to this specific country where we decided to launch our own, first long-term foreign outreach project by building a Christian school and providing education to children in the nation. So we didn't have our school built yet when we were in Nicaragua three years ago, Instead, we visited local churches in Managua and Masaya day and night.


I've always believed children are the future of the world. They probably forgot the time we sang and played together but every single experience has remained in their hearts.






I never forget how soft their skins were when I hugged them, and how pure and widely open their eyes were when I was talking to them (oh, I can't speak Spanish so did communicate with body language like above). One day they come to age, I truly wish that they would lead their community, nation and the world with other people from different countries without prejudice and ego.

"God, the unity of the universe, is the base of this unifying activity, the foundation of our love, the source of our joy. God is infinite love, infinite joy, and peace." from Kitaro Nishida, 'An Inquiry into the Good, God as Reality.

Sounds too optimistic? Look into their eyes. They make you delighted and hopeful.

Our ministry, Promise International Fellowship has run a pre-school in Leon since this year and is now building an elementary school to open next year.

En Route to Greenwich Village

If I would have to (or could afford to) live in Manhattan, Greenwich (or West) Village would be an area I'd choose. A long time ago, I slept over here for a couple of nights and immediately fell in love with its intimate, lovely atomosphere with sidewalk restaurants and cafes, pebbled streets, friendly residents, etc.. Con is I always get lost in the village's maze-like streets:(


After running an errand in SOHO, I headed over to an opening at Gavin Brown's Enterprise (620 Greenwich Street) and as soon as I entered the gallery, I found several guys still setting up the exhibition. Gosh, they don't finish installing artwork yet! In fact, I just came one day earlier... Never forget to call art galleries before going to their openings...





I am so far away from fashion plus I hate shopping. However I kind of like appreciating their window displays. Marc Jacobs (403-405 Bleeker Street) is my favorite. One of MJ stores was full of sale items so I snatched a t-shirt with "Beijing 2008" on it and two condoms for MY BROTHER's bday..;) People, "Remember, Safety First!" by Marc Jacobs.







I didn't try his new perfume DAISY this time...Looks happy and inviting.


My final destination was a fudge store Fat Witch in Chelsea Market (9th avenue and 16th street) to finish my day with a chillin' Witchino. Believe me it's a killer milk shake. Holy cow, the store was closed!! I looked at my watch and found out it was past 8 o'clock..... I was lost too long in the West Village as usual..